


Dying Inside

by orphan_account



Series: Love Is A Slow Burrn [2]
Category: Hamilton - Miranda
Genre: Aaron is still sad about Theo, Concerned James, Fluff and Angst, George is a concerned bab, I'm Bad At Tagging, Other, There's lowkey aaron/james in this, enjoy i guess, w h o o p s
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-29
Updated: 2017-03-29
Packaged: 2018-10-12 12:34:52
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,522
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10490997
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: James ends up talking to Washington about his thoughts.





	

**Author's Note:**

> I thought it might be fun to make a little series out of this s o

James tried to ignore the eyes on him as he moved around the office. Ever since Aaron had taken time off to mourn the loss of his daughter, the man seemed to be acting a little more frantic. He'd just brush off Thomas's concern when he'd ask about it and say something along the lines of "everything is fine" before going back to work. 

Everything wasn't fine, though.

James's friend was home alone with no one there to be there for him as he went through the pain of losing the only family he had left. What if he did something? James couldn't lose Aaron, he just couldn't. The thought of something happened to him made Madison feel sick to the stomach. He placed one hand on the counter in the break room and the other on his stomach, trying to calm himself down.

Aaron is fine.

He's going to go check on Aaron and he's going to be in the same place he was yesterday, alive and breathing.

Nothing is going to happen to Aaron.

Nothing.

. . .right? 

"Madison?"

The small man jumped slightly and spun around, surprised to see Washington standing in the doorway, staring at him with concern in his eyes.

"Are you alright, Madison?" He questioned, approaching the younger male. James took a small step back, looking at everything but his boss.

"I'm fine-"

"You don't have to lie to me, James." The older male sighed softly, shaking his head slightly. Madison was quiet for a moment before he looked up at George, letting himself meet his eyes.

"I'm worried about Aa- Burr." He stated, letting his gaze fall once more. He didn't notice the soft smile that spread across his boss's face and jumped slightly at the feeling of a large hand on his shoulder.

"Come with me, Madison." George stated, nudging him towards the door slightly with the hand he had on his shoulder. James looked at him slightly before nodding and sighing softly, letting his boss lead him to his office.

"Washington!" Hamilton's voice ran out, pulling a heavy sigh from James. Another one of the people who had been questioning him a lot the past few days. It hadn't been about James himself, though. Alexander seemed genuinely concerned about Burr, stating that the man refused to open the door for him when he'd go by to visit.

"Yes, Alexander?" Washington questioned, staring down at the small angry man. Well, usually angry man.

"I'd like to speak to you about a case I'm taking-" and then he noticed James. "Madison! How are you? You look like shit." He never was one to sugar coat things, was he? The feeling of George gently squeezing his shoulder gave him a short burst of courage.

"Not any worse than you usually look." He stated with a small, barely there small. Alexander stared at him for a moment before letting out a loud laugh, grinning down at him.

"I'm not arguing with you there." He snickers and then notices Washington's hand on the smaller of the three's shoulder. "Oh shit, am I interrupting something? Sorry!" And he was off, laughing when Washington yelled after him about the curse. Huffing quietly, the older male shook his head and brought a hand to his head.

"I swear I raised him better than that." He murmured, earning an actual laugh from James.

"He would be like that even if you didn't adopt him, sir." He stated, smiling up at him slightly. George stared down at him for a silent moment before smiling and chuckling softly.

"You're probably right." The rest of the walk to Washington's office was quiet, though it was a comfortable silence. Once they were in the room and seated, the silence was broken. "So what has been on your mind? You've been a little...off since Aaron went on leave." Well, James's moment of peace was gone.

"I.." He sighs heavily. "I've known Aaron since our college days. I was always there for him, you know? When he had only just gotten out of college, he found out his girlfriend, Theodosia, was pregnant. He was ecstatic, came to me with the biggest smile I have ever seen on his face...when Theodosia went into labor eight months later, she...she got sick. Aaron stayed by her bedside almost 24/7, only leaving to go to the bathroom." James seemed to hesitate, looking at him slightly. George just nodded for him to continue and he nodded slightly.

"Theodosia ended up passing away. It hit Aaron hard, he was...a mess. He had wanted to propose to her once she got better. Only a few days later, Aaron had tried to..." He clears his throat, looking away. "I reminded him of his daughter, of me, of Alexander, of our friends. He stayed. He's been different since then, but he's still been my longest friend. I've been there for him."

"You're worried he's going to try something again?" Washington questioned, leaning against his desk with his brows furrowed.

"Theo was the only family he had left. He once told me he didn't think he'd be able to handle losing her. I just, I don't like the idea of him being alone through this, I-"

"Would you like to go on leave so you can stay with him?" The question caught Madison off guard.

"What..?" He questioned quietly, looking at his boss. George offer him a small smile.

"I know how you feel, I know how it feels to worry about someone doing something to harm themselves. I also think it might be good for Aaron to have you around. He'll never get over the death of his daughter, but he will heal. I believe you can help him heal."

James was stunned, silently staring at Washington before he quickly nodded and stood, his legs wobbling slightly.

"Th-Thank you, sir!"

"Go take care of your friend, James."

He didn't have to be told twice.

Madison quickly left George's office and headed to his own to get his things. He was putting his laptop into its bag when Thomas appeared in the doorway.

"Where are you going?" He questioned, quirking a brow slightly. James spared him a glance before going back to gathering his things.

"I'm going on leave so I can take care of Aaron." He murmured, not bothering trying to cover it up. He knew Thomas would find out somehow. When he finally had everything together, he turned to his friend and was taken aback by the gentle smile on Jefferson's face, a knowing glint in his eyes. "What?" 

"You really care about him, don't you?"

"Of course I do, what kind of question is that?" That pulled a laugh out of the tall male.

"That's not what I meant and you know it." He stated, his smile more amused now as he leaned against the doorway. "Don't think I don't see the way you look at him when you think no one's looking."

A flush dusted James's cheeks and he quickly brushed past Thomas with a murmur of 'I have to go', ignoring the other's laugh as he left.

\---

Aaron jumped slightly when he heard a gentle knock at his door, brows furrowed slightly. No one was supposed to be coming around at this time and it was too early for James to be off work. He pushed himself up off the couch and shuffled towards the door, looking through the peephole. Well, he was wrong about it not being James. Opening the door, he stared at his friend with a small tilt of his head. Why did he have a bag?

"Hey, Aaron. Going to let me in or not?" Madison smiled at his friend and Aaron couldn't help but smile slightly as well. He moved out of the way to let him in, watching him enter his home.

"Why are you hear? It's early." He stated, closing the door and shuffling back over to his spot on the couch. James set his things down on the floor and then approached Burr.

"Washington let me take leave so I can take care of you." Before he could complain, James was talking again. "How are you feeling?" 

"I'm fine."

James quirked a brow.

"Just fine."

His friend's expression didn't change.

"I'm..I feel like I'm dying inside." He admitted, curling in on himself on the couch. James's expression softened and he instinctively moved to wrap his arms around him, pulling him close to his chest. Burr melted into the touch with ease, nuzzling his face into the other's neck. 

"Well, I guess I'm going to have to change that, huh?"

"You don't have to do this, James. I can take care of myself."

"Even if that was true, I'd do it anyways. I have to take care of my Little Burr." Madison teased, laughing at the groan it pulled from him. 

"I'm taller than you know, James." Aaron murmured, pressing closer to the older male's smaller form.

"Your point?"

Aaron just let out a drained laugh and looked up at James slightly. 

"You're impossible, Jammy."

"You love me anyways, Little Burr."

"Sadly."


End file.
